Articulated joint-connecting stackable file trays

ABSTRACT

A stackable file tray assembly wherein the trays are fitted within one another. The upper edges of the longitudinal walls of each tray have, toward their rear wall, heads projecting from the ledges designed to support the next higher tray. These heads are received in recesses formed in the lower edges of the longitudinal walls to allow the upper trays to pivot on the lower trays.

States atet Robert Hansmann Kleistgasse S1, Vienna, Austria 802,869

Feb. 27, 1969 Apr. 13, 1971 Inventor Appl. No. Filed Patented ARTICULATED JOINT-CONNECTING STACKABLE FILE TRAYS 7 Claims, 3 Drawing Figs.

U.S.Cl 312/111 Int. Cl t F161) 12/00 Field of Search 312/111 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,733,112 1/1956 Dunham 312/111 3,084,985 4/1963 Bergman 312/111 3,421,801 l/l969 Carpenter et al 312/111 FOREIGN PATENTS 92,001 5/1958 Norway 312/111 Primary Examiner-Patrick D. Lawson Attorney-Karl F. Ross ABSTRACT: A stackable file tray assembly wherein the trays are fitted within one another. The upper edges of the longitudinal walls of each tray have, toward their rear wall, heads projecting from the ledges designed to support the next higher tray. These heads are received in recesses formed in the lower edges of the longitudinal walls to allow the upper trays to pivot on the lower trays.

ARTICULATED JOINT-CONNECTING STACKABLE FILE TRAYS It is known to connect file trays which can simply be stacked one over the other by crossing levers or slidable tongue-andgroove joints or by a combination thereof. These file trays have the disadvantage that it is difficult to find a file which is in a lower tray of a stack. In this case, the upper file trays must be pulled upwardly or removed and deposited on the desk or the like. The invention eliminates these disadvantages.

The invention is based on an articulated joint-connecting stackable file trays and is characterized in that longitudinal walls on both sides of each tray are provided on the outside with apertures and are provided at their free edges on the inside with connecting heads, which engage said apertures, and the apertures and connecting heads of superimposed file trays permit of a pivotal movement about an axis which is adjacent to a rear wall of each tray.

The joint according to the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a file tray;

FIG. 2 shows three superimposed file trays, which are connected by the joints, the two upper trays having been swung off; and

FIG. 3 shows a detail of the articulated joint between two adjacent file trays and is related to the area which is indicated by a circle in FIG. 2.

At the rear end of each file tray, longitudinal walls 1, 1 thereof are provided on the inside with connecting heads 3, 3 on rail tracks 11, 11' and on the outside near the bottom with apertures 2, 2'.

These elements 2, 2' and 3, 3' enable an articulated connection and permit the trays to be stacked so that they completely covereach other and can be pivotally moved about an axis disposed adjacent to a rear wall of each tray. If further apertures 4, 4' are provided, a stepped stack can be formed. When files are to be removed from a lower file tray, e.g. the tray 5 in FIG. 5, the next upper file tray 6 will be lifted in the direction of the arrow 8. All file trays 7 etc. above the lifted file tray 6 remain in their stacked position because the articulated joints 2, 2' and 3, 3 are provided. When the file tray 6 has been lifted as described, the tray 5 is exposed even near its rear wall so that file material and even small papers can be conveniently taken. The articulated joints 2, 2' and 3, 3' prevent a slipping of the file tray 6 from the next lower file tray and a falling of the file tray 6 into the next lower file tray.

Hence, each articulated joint consists of an aperture 2 and a connecting head 3. The aperture 2 has the configuration of a semicylinder l2 and tangential sidewall surfaces l3, 14. The connecting head 3 is formed by a cylindrical portion 15, a portion having a tangential side face 16, and a portion having a side face 17, which is parallel to the side face 16 but set back from the same so that an undercut portion 18 is formed.

I claim:

1. A stackable file tray assembly comprising at least two upwardly open file trays of substantially similar configuration and rectangular plan outline with a pair of opposite longitudinal walls, a pair of apertures formed at corresponding locations in each pair of said longitudinal walls, and a pair of coupling heads formed on each pair of longitudinal walls of each tray and receivable in the said apertures of the longitudinal walls of another tray upon stacking of said trays, said apertures and coupling heads having generally complementary contours permitting pivotal movement of an upper one of said trays relative to the next lower tray about an axis close to a rear wall of each tray, said longitudinal walls having outwardly stepped upper sides adapted to receive the lower sides of the longitudinal walls of the tray thereabove and defining longitudinal ledges supporting same, said heads being upstanding from said ledges, said apertures opening downwardly at the lower sides of the respective longitudinal walls, said apertures having downwardly concave semicircular ends adapted to rest slidably on said heads.

2. An assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said heads each are mounted on a respective upstanding 0st.

3. An assembly as defined in clalm 2 wherein said heads arev flat discs unitarily integral with the respective posts and extending circularly over an arc in excess of 4. An aperture defined in claim 3 wherein said heads overhang said posts toward the rear of the trays.

5. An assembly as defined in claim 4 wherein said posts have heights in excess of the thickness of the bottoms of said trays.

6. An assembly as defined in claim 5 wherein said pairs of longitudinal walls are formed with additional such apertures forwardly of the first-mentioned apertures.

7. An assembly as defined in claim 6 wherein said firstmentioned apertures are spaced forwardly of the respective rear wall by a distance at least equal to the distance by which the heads overhang the respective posts. 

1. A stackable file tray assembly comprising at least two upwardly open file trays of substantially similar configuration and rectangulaR plan outline with a pair of opposite longitudinal walls, a pair of apertures formed at corresponding locations in each pair of said longitudinal walls, and a pair of coupling heads formed on each pair of longitudinal walls of each tray and receivable in the said apertures of the longitudinal walls of another tray upon stacking of said trays, said apertures and coupling heads having generally complementary contours permitting pivotal movement of an upper one of said trays relative to the next lower tray about an axis close to a rear wall of each tray, said longitudinal walls having outwardly stepped upper sides adapted to receive the lower sides of the longitudinal walls of the tray thereabove and defining longitudinal ledges supporting same, said heads being upstanding from said ledges, said apertures opening downwardly at the lower sides of the respective longitudinal walls, said apertures having downwardly concave semicircular ends adapted to rest slidably on said heads.
 2. An assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said heads each are mounted on a respective upstanding post.
 3. An assembly as defined in claim 2 wherein said heads are flat discs unitarily integral with the respective posts and extending circularly over an arc in excess of 180*.
 4. An aperture defined in claim 3 wherein said heads overhang said posts toward the rear of the trays.
 5. An assembly as defined in claim 4 wherein said posts have heights in excess of the thickness of the bottoms of said trays.
 6. An assembly as defined in claim 5 wherein said pairs of longitudinal walls are formed with additional such apertures forwardly of the first-mentioned apertures.
 7. An assembly as defined in claim 6 wherein said first-mentioned apertures are spaced forwardly of the respective rear wall by a distance at least equal to the distance by which the heads overhang the respective posts. 